Tag Archive for: Heart of Service

Associates Volunteer for LifeTown Columbus

LifeTown Columbus is a realistic indoor “city” where students with special needs can learn and practice important life skills in a safe, friendly environment. On Thursday, fourteen associates helped over 60 students K-12 make purchases and interact with LifeTown’s 10 venues, which includes a movie theater, bank, medical center, marketplace, and salon. Students also practiced pedestrian safety using real traffic lights and volunteer police officers.

One of only two in the U.S., LifeTown is a unique opportunity for children with special needs to learn, grow, gain confidence, make choices, and sometimes mistakes, in a safe and supportive environment.

Through Wallick’s volunteer committee, Heart of Service, each associate has one paid day off every year to volunteer at a service event of their choice.

Tidwell, Ashford Residents Join Heart of Service’s Annual Backpack Drive

It’s more than a backpack. It’s a fresh start. 

Wallick’s volunteer committee Heart of Service held its annual backpack drive, but with a twist. In August, the committee had over 1,000 school items delivered to The Ashford on Broad, where residents eagerly awaited to help stuff backpacks for 200 children that live in Wallick’s affordable housing communities. The crew was also joined by associates from Tidwell Group, the company’s financial consulting partner, who donated half of the supplies.  

Heart of Service’s backpack drive is about more than giving kids a pencil and paper to bring to school. Possessing the essential tools to learn establishes the tone of the school year, and possibly what’s left of a student’s academic career. Therefore, to impact those left out of summer back-to-school drives, Heart of Service will deliver the backpacks and school supplies to children at the end of this year.

Thank you to everyone who made the backpack drive possible!

Heart of Service Spreads Holiday Joy at Ashford Communities

With the holidays can come joy and cheer, but also snow and frigid temperatures. And for that reason, Wallick’s volunteer committee, Heart of Service, devised a plan to keep The Ashfords’ senior residents warm and cozy this chilly season by organizing a blanket drive.

With the help of Wallick’s associates, Heart of Service collected 153 blankets for residents at two of the Company’s affordable senior living communities, The Ashford on Broad and The Ashford of Mt. Washington. Each blanket was packaged with a personalized card and gifted to residents at their community’s holiday party. Put on by The Ashfords’ staff members, both holiday bashes had a feast, music, support from Wallick associates, and of course a special appearance by Santa Clause.

Although the basic fleece blanket probably won’t make Amazon’s Hottest Holiday Gift Guide anytime soon, words can’t describe how delighted residents were to get a surprise gift from a friend at Wallick.

It just shows – no matter the gift, it’s the thought that always means the most. Thank you to everyone who donated.

Wallick Associates Build the Dream of Home Ownership with Habitat for Humanity

Affordable, decent housing is one of the most basic human needs; however, so many families and seniors within our own neighborhoods and beyond are still without a place to call home. Like Wallick, Habitat for Humanity (Habitat), a global nonprofit housing organization, works to end poverty by providing safe, affordable housing.

For two years now, Heart of Service (HOS) has partnered with local Habitat divisions to give Wallick the opportunity to help build houses for families working toward home ownership. This summer, almost 50 Wallick associates traded their same old routine for a day of framing, insulating, sheet rocking and more.

Overall, Wallick had five teams that each spent a day at one of Habitat’s project sites.

Wallick Associates Focus on Giving Back

With several communities in development and others coming on-line, this past summer was a busy one for Wallick. However, Wallick associates still found time to volunteer, serving those living in substandard conditions, near and far.

In June, Wallick sent a team of associates and their families – 52 strong – to Ensenada, Mexico. For an entire week, these individuals worked side-by-side with five families that previously lived in deplorable conditions, building each family a new house. See their life changing experience unfold here.

Throughout the summer nearly 60 other Wallick associates volunteered to build houses for those in need, however, this time it was in their own backyard. Through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, teams of associates worked in Columbus and Cincinnati building houses for families eagerly awaiting a place to call home. Catch a glimpse of their experience here.

Almost 60 Associates Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity

From framing to landscaping and everything in-between, almost 60 Wallick associates volunteered to work with Habitat for Humanity this summer. While completing a variety of construction activities, these associates helped create homes for deserving families in need.

Over the course of four work days, volunteers helped with a total of four houses, one in Cincinnati and three in Columbus. Additionally, Wallick Communities donated $6,000 worth of supplies and lumber to Habitat for Humanity.

Before families can settle into their new homes, they must go through a financial review and complete a homeownership class. As of right now, these families live in poor, substandard housing. Therefore, you can imagine how excited they are to transition into a brand-new home.

While gaining some useful construction skills, these associates contributed to the future health and happiness of families in need. This opportunity was made possible by Heart of Service, Wallick’s volunteer committee.